Orange and Grapefruit with Candied Zest and Basil

Thank you to our reader Ellen who has inspired me to look to the grapefruit for some delicious winter fruit eating!  This is a simple, light and delicious way to partake in these seasonal fruits.  Enjoy!

ORANGE AND GRAPEFRUIT WITH CANDIED ZEST

AND BASIL CHIFFONADE

yield: 8 servings

3 navel oranges

3 grapefruit

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

Extra sugar for coating zest

Pernod, for garnish

Chiffonade of basil, for garnish

Remove the zest from one orange and one grapefruit with a peeler. Trim off any white pith from under the strips and julienne. Blanch zest by placing in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain & repeat to remove bitterness. Combine blanched zest, water, and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until thick and syrupy, approximately 20 minutes. Remove zest with a slotted spoon to a rack set on parchment paper and let it drain. Toss zest in sugar to coat and reserve for garnish.

Imagining the citrus as a globe, slice off the North Pole and South Pole to the point where the flesh is exposed. Standing the citrus on one of the poles, start slicing off the rind by guiding the knife carefully along the flesh just inside the pith, going from top to bottom. After each section of peel is removed, rotate the fruit toward you and slice off another section. Once the entire fruit is peeled, remove each segment by carefully slicing between the membranes, working over a bowl to catch all the juice. There should be no pith remaining on the segments. Squeeze center of citrus into bowl to remove any juice and discard.

Arrange citrus segments in serving dishes. Moisten with some of the reserved juice and drizzle with Pernod. Garnish with candied zest and chiffonade of basil.